Friday, the Bean hit five months. A lot happens over five months. It's amazing to think about where we were then, and where we are now.

He's been doing great, I'm really enjoying him as I can actually play with him now. He likes being thrown around, and I love seeing the smile on his face when we play. He's eating well (he's currently being treated for reflux, which could have been the cause of a lot of his fussy eating), and will start on juice sometime today.

We're not entirely sure why he needs juice. The doctor said that babies get thirsty, but the kid's food is liquid. Neither of us can figure it out, but we'll just give him some juice from time to time, and see what he does.

He's starting some new daycare. Two days a week he will be going over to our friend's house. They have a nanny at their house and we felt that the more personal attention, and the ability to make a friend (a girl, a year his senior) would be good as well. We think it should be really good for him.

I can't believe he's almost 6 months old. This is going by way to fast!

It's been three weeks at the new job, and I'm really enjoying myself. Everyone who works there is great, we have a lot of fun, but still get a ton of work done.

Technically we're a marketing firm, but really specialize in Sales, Marketing and Promotional Strategy, we like to help the client answer why they need something and what will give us the most successful launch and future life of that tactic. Most marketing firms are just Ad Agencies, they make ads and websites and logos that their client feels they need. We try to set ourselves apart by helping the client get to that decision.

If all of this sounds confusing, it is. We've been spending a good amount of time working on our brand, and how best to communicate what it is that we do, without putting to fine a point on our expertise, or making the company too much of a "we solve all of your problems" thing that just makes us sound like we have no idea what we do. I have been given a lot of responsibility to get this moving and have been spending a lot of time working on it.

I was given one customer when I started, and if all goes well, will have three by the end of this week. I'm keeping very busy, but love the environment and really feel like I can shine here. People listen to my opinion, and I think that my knowledge really brings a lot to the company. It's a tremendous feeling.

We've just started looking at offices in Grand Rapids. I expect that we will probably be here (and I won't have to commute anymore) by October or so. Next year, I'm getting a new scooter so I can scoot to work.

I haven't had much time to let everybody know how the new job was going so I thought this was a good place to put it. I'll try to add more as I have it.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Sunday, July 13, 2008

We're not sure if he's started teething or not, but everything goes in his mouth now. The doctor warned us about putting his toys in there, but just about every chance he gets he crams his whole fist (or a majority of hi fingers) right in his mouth. The kid is producing more drool than I though possible, but apparently this is nothing compared to when teething really gets going.Funny story-a few days ago Bobbie Jo was changing Max. When she changes him, she always puts a wet wipe over his dingus, to keep him from peeing in his face. As she was doing some detail cleaning she looked up at Max, and he had grabbed the wipe, and crammed it in his mouth. Priceless.He's also started standing, not on his own of course, but he loves it when we hold him up so that he can stand. He'll giggle and blow "rasberries" and the occasional spit bubble. It's been a lot of fun, he really enjoys it.

This is my last week of Summer class, I'm really looking forward to it being over. The new job is going great, I'm loving it and really feel like I contribute around there. It's been an awesome change.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Yesterday Bobbie Jo called me (I was at the coffee shop working on homework), and asked me to come home. Max had been SCREAMING bloody murder for about an hour, and she wasn't sure what we should do.Max has been such a good baby, we're not used to this. Even with two bad ear infections, he never cried this severely.We called his doctor, and the doctor wanted us to take him to the ER to have him checked out.

We packed him into the car and headed off to the hospital. We were quickly checked in, and put in a room to wait. By this point, Max had calmed down and was quite happy.

To make a long story short; After a two hour wait, we learned that Max has another ear infection. We've got another new antibiotic to give him, and will need to get him in to see his doctor at the end of this week.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

I'm sitting at my usual coffee shop the morning after "the great rainstorm of 2008". It's pretty busy and there are loads of people here charging their laptops and cellphones as a good chunk of GR is without power this morning. We are lucky to have power, but we did get a fair amount of water in the basement, a cleanup I am not looking forward to.

My last day working for The Holland Group was yesterday and I start my new job on Monday. I'm excited and will be doing a lot of new things at the new place. It's a Marketing Firm in Saugatuck but I know almost all of the people who work there, and I'm fully expecting it to go very well.

Max started eating rice cereal on Sunday and he's done pretty well. His ears are completely cleared up and he's eating a ton. He's been a lot happier, and a lot less fussy. Its been nice.

The next month is going to be extremely busy as my class is finishing up, I have to finish up a few projects with the old job, and get started figuring out everything that my new job entails. It's going to be a lot of very busy hours, but I'm sure it will be well worth it.

Tomorow I think we'll take Max to the parade and maybe the fireworks. He may not know what's going on, but I think we'll get a kick out of it.

This blog was first started as a way of keeping our family and friends up to date when Bobbie Jo became pregnant with our son Max in 2007. It has continued as a place to post pictures, videos, and details of our family adventures.

In the time that we have been posting here it has been incredible looking back at past entries. I can't imagine what it will be like to look back in 20 years at what we were thinking now. I think that this "online diary" will be a priceless gift that we can pass on to Max and Lily as a record of their lives.